Scouring pad holder



March 26, 1957 1 s. zlsKlND 2,786,223

SCOURING PAD HOLDER Filed Feb. 2, 1953 HMHWHWIMU INVENTOR.-

Biaffmel Ztlsmd u C.

HTTORNEY United States Patent SCOURlNG PAD HOLDER Samuel Ziskind, New York, N. Y.

Application February 2, 1953, Serial No. 334,414

4 Claims. (cl. 1s20s\)l The present invention relates to cleaning devices and more particularly, to a scouring pad holder adapted to facilitate manipulation of the pad in the cleaning of pots and pans and the like.

Securing pads and the like have become very popular in `the cleaning of kitchen utensils and the like, and presently are consumed in large quantities. ln spite of their popularity, several diiculties are encountered in connection with the use thereof. These `ditliculties arise because the pads are gripped by the fingers of the user. Consequently, in so gripping the pads, there is a tendency to crush the same anddistort the shape thereof, whereby the working surface Iof the pads is reduced and the useful life of the pads is shortened. Also, in cases where the pads are formed of metallic material, such as wire wool,

person with tender hands may receive cuts or scratches therefrom, or metallic splinters or particles may be embedded in the skin. Another disadvantage of such pads is that the user in cleaning deep receptacles with very hot water must work with the fingers, the hand, or even a portion of the arm, submerged in the hot`water, lThis requires that the user works more carefully and thus more slowly. Also, should the water 'be greasy, the user rnust wash the part of the arm which-has -been in such water.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a pad holder which eliminates the foregoing dithculties and disadvantages.k

Another object is to provide such a holder which facilitates removal and replacement of the pads.

`Another object is to provide such a holder which securely grips the pads and supports the same in a manner to extend their useful life. 1..

Another object is' to provide such a holder which aiords the user a mechanical advantage or additional leverage, so that the pads can be applied to the utensils with a greater force whereby rapid and eifective cleaning thereof is made possible.

Another object is to provide such a holder which is light in weight and comfortable to hold and therefore does not tire the user.

Another object is to provide such a holder which can be taken apart for thorough cleaning and can be put together again with a minimum of effort even by persons lacking mechanical skill.

A further object is to provide such a holder which is simple, practical and economical in construction but yet is suiciently rugged to withstand the rough usage to which it normally may be subjected.

Other and further objects will -be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects are accomplished by providing a holder com- "ice prising in combination backing means adapted for mount ing a pad thereon, a pair of resilient arms on the backing means, each having a pad gripping jaw normally urged apart from each other, an element, such as a tube, adapted vto be positioned about the arms and engage the same to move the jaws into pad gripping position, and handle means on or attached to the element.

ln the drawing:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View of a holder in ac-.y cordance with the present invention, shown with a pad secured thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2--2 on Fig. l.

Fig. 3 form of gripping jaws.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the lower portion yof the holder illustrating the jaws in open position just prior 'to being brought into gripping engagement with the pad.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of 'a holder in -a'ccordance with another embodiment `of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the holder shown in Fig. 5 illustrating another form of gripping jaws.

is a bottom view of the holder, illustrating one:

.Referring to the drawing in detail, and more particle larly to Figs. l to 3 thereof, there is shown a holder which generally comprises a pad backing element 10,

a spring ele-ment ll, and a spring operating element l2 having handle means i4. thereon.

The pad backing element lil includes a disc or circularv `plate portion l5 adapted to fit against one side of la pad P having a domed central portion 16 providing a recess' `on the underside thereof for receiving a portion of the:

pad and being lformed with a pair of diametrically oppositefo'penings 17 adjacent the .center thereof, and in-.

cludes a stem portion 19, preferably having a bore 20 extending therethrough for the purpose describedY hereinafter. The disc portion 15, in its preferred form, is formed of bendable or resilient material, `such vasy rubber or rubber-like material which is adapted to flex with the pad in its use but still afford Sutri-cient backing or reinforcement for the pad to prevent distortion thereof.v

The spring element il, as shown herein byv way of example, is a U-shaped flat'spring having an aperture 21 at its mid point and having a pair of arms 22 each provided with a pad gripping jaw 24 at the free end thereof. These jaws 24 and 24' have prongs directed downwardly. and:

inwardly towards each other andmay haveserrated'edgea';l as .shownin Fig. 3, or. may have'knifelike edges, asshown in Fig. 6.

The spring element il has its jaws 24 each extending through one of the disc portion openings 17, and is secured to the stern portion 19 by a bolt 25 which extends through the bore 2t? and the aperture 21 with a nut 26 threaded 0n the bolt over the middle portion of the spring element. This bolt rigidiies the stem portion 19 in the event it is formed of benda'ble material.

The yspring operating element 12 preferably is a tube or a member having a tubular section at its lower end adapted to be positioned about and engage the arms 22 to bring them together, and thereby move the jaws 24 into pad gripping position, as shown in Fig. l. Since `the spring arms 22 are dat, a rectangular metallic tube (Fig. 2) is preferred, so that opposite sides thereof slida-bly t against the arms. Such a tube is extremely light in weight and yet affords a strong handle.

The handle means 14 may be formed integral with the y 'by llaying the same on a .drm surface S and placing the disc portion l5 ,thereon with the tube retracted .to allow the arms 22 to move the jaws 24 into open position. By applying downward pressure on the pad, a portion thereof is forcedinto the recess of the disc dome ,16 and the jaws are caused to enter this portion. Upon sliding the tube downwardly over the spring 2.2, the arms are brought together and the jaws apply a firm grip on the portion of the pad engaged, whereby the pad is attached, as shown in Fig. l, and the device is nonl ready for use.

In order to remove the pad when it has tingen worn out, the tube is retracted to the position shown in Fig. 4 and the pad is released from the jaws.

.In Fig. 5 another embodiment of the invention is il lustrated which embodiment essentially is the same as the embodiment just described, `but diders thererom in that rod means are connected to the stem portion i9 to facilitate yrelative movement between the tube and the spring element 11.

Such rod means may comprise a tube `31 having its lower end threaded on the bolt 25 and having its upper end extending outwardly of the handle means 14 and of the holder. Manipulation of the rod assembly is facilitated by providing an enlargement 32 at the upper end of the tube 31, which enlargement may be in the form of an eye-'bolt having an opening 33 for hanging the holder on a hook, or the like. The enlargement also serves as a stop for preventing the -spring arms 22 from `being pushed completely out of the tube means 12.

From the .foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, practical `and Veconomical pad holder which is extremely useful for its intended purpose.

As various changes may be made inthe form, construction land arrangement of the parts herein, without departing lfrom the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. ln a device of the class described, the combination of backing .means adapted for Vmounting a scouring pad thereon, a pair of resilient arms on said means each having a pad gripping jaw normally urged apart from each other, said jaws including prongs directed downwardly and inwardly ltowards each other and being 'adapted to be inserted within said pad to seize a portion of said pad therebetween, a tubular element vadapted to be slidably positioned about said resilient arms and engage the same to move said jaws towards each other into pad gripping position, 4said :backing means including Aa substantially at disc adapted toit against one side of the pad having d an opening therein for each of said resilient arms located adjacent the center .thereof through which said jaws extend and having a central recess for receiving a portion of the pad, said backing member also including a central stem having said arms secured thereto, and handle means on said element.

2. A device according to claim l, wherein said resilient arms are constituted by a Ll-shaped spring element secured at its mid-point to the free end of said stem.

3. A scouring pad holder comprising a bend-able disc to fit against one side of the pad and having a pair of openings therein adjacent thc center thereof, a central stem on said disc, a U-shaped spring element on said stem having a pair of arms each provided with a pad gripping jaw normally urged apart from each other and each extending through one of said openings, said jaws including prongs directed downwardly and inwardly towards each other and being adapted to be inserted within said pad to seize a portion of said pad therebetween, an elongated tube having one end adapted to be slidably positioned about said arms to engage the same and move said jaws into pad gripping position and having handle means at the yother end thereof, and rod means having one end secured to said stem and extending through said tube with its other end disposed outwardly of said tube.

4. A holder according to claim 3, wherein said lstem is tubular and said spring element has an aperture at the midpoint thereof and said rod means includes a bolt extending through said stem and said aperture, a nut threaded on said bolt over said spring element to secure the latter on said stem, a member slidably mounted in said tube having one end threaded on said bolt and having its other end extending outwardly of said tube at the handle end thereof, and an enlargement secured to the outwardly extending end of said member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 895,551 Gaylord Aug. 11, 1908 1,653,652 Melniker Dec. 27, 1927 2,320,611 Kandle June 1, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,'5'54 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1900 35,120 France June 18, 1929 (Addition to No. 616,451) 57,470 France Nov. 5, 1952 (Addition to No. 932,572)

141,549 Australia Nov. 24, 1949 346,327 France Nov. 22, 1904 777,963 France Mar. 6, 1935 ein: fA-f 

